Anyone who’s anyone in African telecoms and technology will be in Cape Town at AfricaCom 2017 from 7-9 November. The continent’s single largest and most influential technology, media and telecoms (TMT) event, promises opportunities to witness future tech trends, network with the industry elite, and learn from a line-up of global thought leaders providing inspiring content.

M-commerceDelegates will be able to hear Herman Singh, Group Chief Digital Officer of MTN, share his thoughts on how Africa can capitalise on the potential of disruptive technology, or the fourth wave of the mobile industry, as he puts it. M-commerce, he believes, will be far more “disruptive” than PC-based e-commerce ever was.

“The combination of identity, location and ‘transactability’ is far more disruptive than e-commerce ever was on PCs. You don’t carry a PC into a shop; your phone, you do,” he says.

Bridging the digital divideBob Collymore, CEO of Safaricom, will describe how innovative mobile network operators can bridge the digital divide and connect the next billion. (Safricom is the pioneer of Mpesa, the world’s most developed mobile payment system).

If you’re looking to discover what support mobile operators need, mobile companies Millicom, Safaricom and Orange will offer expert guidance on how the mobile network operator role is evolving in response to a rapidly shifting digital landscape.

Fourth Industrial RevolutionAfricaCom 2017 will provide three days of thought-provoking content and essential learning opportunities, including a chance to map Africa’s journey towards the Fourth Industrial Revolution with Luke Mckend, Country Director of Google South Africa.

Industry 4.0 will make manufacturing more efficient and productive. By optimising factories, it will directly improve yield. On the product side, it will also extract greater value from data for usage-based design and mass customisation, which in turn will open the way to new markets. On many levels, it will completely change the business model to an outcome-based approach.

The future of African telecommunicationsKey to any future development will be the policies that enable or curtail progress. A keynote panel hosted by Shola Taylor, Secretary-General of the Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation Learn will explore how creating an enabling environment will support digital transformation in Africa. Also, up for discussion are the critical features of such an enabling environment; developing ICT policy to facilitate and accelerate the spread of Internet connectivity and aligning public policy and private sector development in the ICT space.

Unathi Mtya, CIO of the Parliament of the Republic of South Africa, will also facilitate a panel discussion (Nov 09, 09:30), unpacking how digital disruption is dislodging established business models and creating new opportunities for African start-ups and tech entrepreneurs. The panel will also tackle the critical importance of entrepreneurship in fuelling Africa’s digital economy and what start-ups can offer large corporates and vice versa.

Internet of ThingsDelegates can also access two days of informative IoT content and receive expert guidance from the likes of MTN, Barclays, SqwidNet and Deloitte.

BroadcastingAdding even more value to the delegate experience will be opportunities to learn about the role of public broadcasting in a digital age at the TV Connect Africa Conference where delegates will receive strategic insights from John Momoh (OON), Chairman and CEO of the Channels Media Group.

EntertainmentAnd what is work without play? Delegates will be able to party at the AFEST, AfricaCom’s live music concert and informal networking event at Shimmy Beach Club on 7 November 2017. This is a party not to be missed. A host of leading local and international artists, including AKA, Black Motion and Mr Silk, will entertain guests. Access to the AFEST is included in all delegate packages.

One delegate pass opens access to 16 conference tracks filled with premium content designed to keep you one step ahead of the competition in an uncertain age of digital disruption and transformation.